Electrically heated wearing apparel



Jan. 4, 1949. G. VAN DAAM ELECTRICALLY HEATED 'HEARING APPAREL 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2o, 1945 GERM?- 14m/@MM INVENTOR M, Jamal/MMATTORNEYS Jan. 4, 1949. G. VAN DAAM ELECTRICALLY HEATED WEARING APPAREL2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 V 65W 7- %sw 06AM I l N VE N TOR Brim@ /MJ/M/h/aw ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ELECTRICALLY HEATED WEARING APPAREL VGerrit Van Daam, Buffalo, N.Y.,

Application February 20, 1943, Serial No'. 476,553

Claims. 1

This invention relates to electrically heated Wearing apparel, andr moreparticularly to garments or suits accessory wearing apparel to be .Wornby aviators and may also be embodied in garments or suits and accessorywearing apparel to be worn by divers and others subjected to Wtemperatures. The principal object of the invention is to provide newand improved wearing apparel of these types.

The novel features of the invention will appear from this specificationand the accompanying drawings, showing several embodiments of theinvention, and forming a part of the specification, and aller thesenovel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a iront elevation of a garment embodying the invention, tobe Worn by an aviator, for example, the fabric part of the garment andthe belt means therefor being omitted, but indicated in broken outline,in order to more clearly show the arrangement of the electric heatingmeans and the conductor means for feeding the heating means withelectric current,

Figure 2 is a section tal-:en on the line 2 2 of Figure l, the fabricwall of the garment being here shown in section, along with belt meansfor the garment,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line -B of Figure2, considerably enlarged,

Figure fi is av partly broken plan View, ona larger scale` than Figurel, of an electrically heated innersole means i'or heating a foot of awearer of the garment shown in Figure 1',

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 -5 of Figure Figure 6 is afragmentary View partly7`4v in section, taken on the line B-E of Figurel',

Figure 7 an elevational view, on a larger scale than Figure l, of thepalm sid'e of a" mitten for heating the left hand of the wearer of thegarment shown in Figure l,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View, on' aiarger scale, taken alongthe line' 3 8" of Figure?,

'Figure 9 is an electrica-l diagram of the`r circuits corresponding tothe embodiment shown in Figure l, and

Figure l0 is a fragmentary electrical diagram* operate with holes 23 inthe other end of the'belt. It willibe understood of course that meansfor detachably joining. the' ends of the beltv may as sume any otherdesired and suitable4v form. The longitudinal margins of the' belt arestitched as by stitching 24 (Figure 3)', or otherwise) suitablyfastened, to the waist portion of the garment' so that theY longitudinalcenter portion of the belt and the opposite adjacent portion" 9' of thegar"- inent may be moved away from each other there'- by to provideconduit means 26m Whichfbus con-v ductor means 25 maybe inserted. Thestitchingy 241 hereinbefore referred to may terminate a desired distanceshort of the buckle end: ofthe bel-t 2li, and a desired distance shortofv the' cooperating, other end ofl the belt,` so that the buckle andthel cooperating, other endlare free ofv` the garment for desiredlengths as indicated: in Figure 2. The bus conductor means 25 disposed'within they conduit means 25 provided by the belt 20 as hereinbeforedescribed, isv electrically connected, in this instance, to conductormeans here shown as a two-conductor cable 271 of any desired lengthprovided at the free end thereof with aV plug adapted for insertiony inasocket 29 (Figure 9) connected to line Wires 30' from a source ofelectricity. If desired, a lineA switch L20, and a rheostat l2-i may beinterposedy in the line wires 33. In general, reference may be had toFigure 9 for the electrical connections of the embodiment of Figure l.The cable- 21 may be supported by a bracket 3l carrying av clamp 32, thebracket being suitably fastenedA to the belt 20, and the arms of' theclamp 32 serving to holdthe cable 2l relatively to the belt.

The bus conductor means 25 has a portion 33 which runs clockwise, asviewed from above the belt" 20, in the conduit means 26` provided` bythe belt from the place where the cable 2T enters the belt, to a' switch3'4 which carried by the belt 20 and is interposed in the bus conductormeans 25 so as to be adapted t'o complete or' interrupt the'currentsupply' to the electrical heating means provided in the garment (seeFigure 9). If desired electrical outlet means 35, here shown as a twopole socket, may' be mounted on the belt 20 and`v electrically connectedin' parallel to the bus conductormeansZS, for purposes to be described.

The bus conductor means' 25 disposed within the conduit means 25provided by' the' belt il also has a portion 38 which extends in acounterclockwise direction from the place Where the cable 2l enters'thebelt 2li, around the back t'o the weare."s right side.

Vhate'ver heating means is provided for the garment is fed by suitableconnections to the bus conductor means 25, each heating means beingconnected in parallel with the bus conductor means. In the instanceshown in Figure 1 there is provided a belt-like electric heating means31 for heating the chest and back of the body of the wearer of thegarment, the terminal end margins 38, 39 of this belt-like heating meansbeing here shown as disposed adjacent the longitudinal split (indicatedby the broken line 40 in Figure 1) in the anterior wall of the garment.The belt-like heating means 31 is thus adapted substantially to encirclethe chest and back of the wearer leaving only a slight gap, if any, inthe front. The longitudinal split 40 in the garment, which may extendfrom the neck to the crotch of the garment if it is of the coveralltype, may be closed by a closure means 4l of the interlocking-elementslide-operated type, or by buttons or any other suitable closure means.f

A conductor cable 42 comprising two conductors connected respectively tothe conductors Iof the portion 36 of the bus conductor means 25 serves.to feed with the current the belt-like chest and back heating means 31.

Thev ends of the belt-like heating means 31 may befastened to the insideof the garment so that these ends are adjacent the longitudinal split,by 'a desired number of snap fasteners 43 or in any other desiredsuitable way. One of these snap fasteners, 43, is shown in sideelevation in Figure 6, the socket part 43a of the snap fastener being,in this instance, mounted on the fabric wall portion g2 of the garmentand the plug part 43h being mounted on the heating means 31. The heatingmeans 31 is here shown as in the form of a heating pad comprising asuitably insulated resistor 45 which is disposed between two walls 45,41 of wool fabric or any other suitable insulating material, these wallsbeing shown in Figure 6 as partly broken away at the top to show a partof the resistor 45. The wool walls 46, 41 are desirably slightly largerthan the area of the insulated resistor 45 and the overlapping marginsmay be fastened together by stitching 48 or in any other suitable way.It will of course be evident that the beltlike heating means 31 isassemblable with and separable from the garment as a unit. If desiredthe heating means 31 may be fastened to the garment by fasteners atother additional points of its circumference.

AIt will be evident that the circumferential length of the heating means31 may be so selected, or the fastener parts 43a and 43D so located, orboth, that when the closure means 4I is closed, the heating means 31 isput under tension sufcient so that the heating means is maintainedsnugly encircled about the back and chest ofV the wearer, and hence inheat-conducting relation to the back and chest, even though the garmentitself may fit the wearer loosely. The snugly encircling effect of theheating means 31 is enhanced if this heating means is at least somewhateXtensible and contractibla'which it is in this instance, because atleast the covering comprising the walls 46, 41, to which the fastenerparts 43a are attached, is resiliently eX- tensible and contractible.

Electrically connected to the conductors of the portion v35 of the busconductor means 25 is conductor means which may be a two conductor cable49T. The cable 49T passes through an aperture l! in the wall portion gof the garment, up-

wardly inside of the garment and passes over the right arm pit of thegarment into and along the inside of the right hand sleeve 5h'. Thecable 49T is here shown as extending beyond the terminal end of thesl-eeve 51T, and the end of the cable is provided with any suitableinsulating supporting means 53 for supporting a pair of connectorterminals 52 to which the conductors of the cable 491` are respectivelyelectrically connected. The connector terminals 52 may be of the snapfastener type or any other type affording easy attachment and detachmentfrom complementary connector terminals on a glove or mitten (Figure 7)containing electric heating means for heating the hand of the wearer.

Conductor means which may be in the form of a cable 54T is electricallyconnect-ed to the portion 36 of the bus conductor means 25 atapproximately the same place as the cable 491', but extends downwardlyinto and along the inside of the right hand leg 55T of the garment. Ashere shown the lower end of the cable 541* carries any suitableinsulating means 56 for supporting a pair of connector terminals 51adapted to cooperate with complementary connector terminals on a heatingmeans (similar to Figure 4) for heating the right foot of the wearer, aswill more fully appear.

As here shown, the embodiment in Figure 1 also includes heating means,in the sleeve 5Ir, for the right arm, in this instance in two parts, onepart 58a for the upper part of the arm and another part 58h for thelower part of the arm. The heating means 58a, 58h are in this instanceconnected in series and are fed by cable Sr comprising tw-o conductorselectrically connected to the bus conductor means 25 similarly to thecable 49T. The cables 49T and 601* are shown separated in Figure 1 forthe sake of clearness, but they preferably lie side-by-side against theadjacent inside wall of the garment.

As here shown, the embodiment in Figure 1 also includesheating meansforthe right leg 551, in this instance in two parts, one part 10a for theupper part of the leg and another part 1b for the lower part of the leg.The heating means 10a, 18h are in this instance connected in series andare fed by a cable 1h' comprising two conductors electrically connectedto the bus conductor means 25.

Means is provided for holding the hereinbefore mentioned cables inpredetermined desired position within the garment, this means being hereshown as a tape or elongated piece of fabric EIT disposed against theinside wall of the garment and stitched longitudinally at 62, 63 to thewall of the garment so as to form conduit means 64T in which the cablesare disposed. The conduit means 641 is omitted in Figure 1 for the sakeof clearness. The upper part 64a (Figure 3) of the conduit means 64Textends upwardly from the 1ocation of the belt means 2l), around the armpit part of the right hand sleeve 5l1" and downwardly a desired distancealong the inside surface of the right hand sleeve, The conduit part 64acontains the cables 491, r. The lower part 64b of the conduit means 64extends downwardly from the location of the belt means 2G, along theinside of the right hand leg 55T a desired distance. The conduit part64b contains the cables 547', 1h'. The heating means for the left sidethat is for the left leg 551 and foot and the left arm 5|Z and hand ishere shown the same as for the right side hereinbefore described, theheating means having the same relative locations and being fed by cables491, 601, and 541, `||1, from the bus conductor means 25, and disposedin conduits as already described in connection with the cables 49T, 601and 54T, 1|r. If desired the cable 42 for feeding the heating means 31may also be run in a fabric conduit 80 similar to the fabric conduit|54.

The heating means for the arms and legs may be constructed in the formof heating pads similarly to the heating means 31, and snap fasteners(not shown) may be used to detachably fasten the arm and leg pads to thegarment. The arm and leg pad-s need not be made in two parts but eachlimb may be heated by a unitary pad.

Referring particularly to Figures 4 and 5 there is here shown aninnersole means 901 comprising two pieces of leather 9|, 92, or othersuitable material, which are spaced apart by a member 93 of corkcomposition, or any other suitable material, having an aperture 94 whichmay generally follow the outline of the insole means 901, leaving aspace in which is disposed an insulated resistor 951 having leadterminals 96 connected respectively to parts of snap fasteners 91adapted to cooperate with the complementary snap fastener parts 5'1carried by the cables 54T and 541, respectively. The snap fasteners 91are carried by a. exible tab 98 of suitable length made of two pieces ofsoft leather, or other suitable flexible insulating material, suitablystitched or otherwise fastened together and to the innersole meansproper. Between the parts of the tab 98 are disposed the lead terminals96 of the resistor 951. The resistor 951 may be suitably cemented inplace. The pieces 9|, 93, 92 may be cemented and stitched together.

The innersole means 901 is so constructed and arranged that it may bereadily inserted into the left shoe (not shown) of a wearer of thegarment, the tab 98 extending upwardly along the inside rear wall of theshoe, whereupon the wearer puts the shoe on his foot and snaps theconnectors 91 to the connectors 5'| on the cable 541 or the cable 541 asthe case may be, it being of course understood that an innersole meanssimilar to the innersole means 901 is provided for the right shoe of thewearer. It will be evident that if the resistor of an innersole meansshould fail or the innersole means should otherwise become unuseable, itis not necessary to discard any shoe with worn over the usual shoes, andin this case the l innersole means will be disposed between the insoleof the boot or over-shoe and the bottom of the sole of the usual shoe.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 there is here shown a mitten or glove991 comprising in this instance a portion adapted to take the thumb, aforenger portion |0|, and a portion |02 for the remaining three fingers.The portions |00, |0|, |02 are heated by an insulated resistor |301comprising insulated resistors |03, |04, for the respective portions,these resistors being connected in series, the lead terminals |06, |01to this series of resistors being connected to two snap fastener parts|08y |09 respectively, which are mounted on the inside of the mitten andare carried by a relatively stiff strip l I0 of any suitable insulatingmaterial fastened to the glove as by screws and nuts or in any othersuitable way. A thermostat l2 may be interposed in the circuit of theresistors in order to interrupt the circuit in response to excessivetemperature. Ordinarily the desired rate of heat dissipation is higherfor the resistors in the mitten than for others of the heating elements,so that excessive heating is more apt to occur.

Figure 8 shows a section of the portion |02 of the mitten of Figure 7,enlarged, the outer part ||3 of the mitten being leather or othersuitable material, lined with a wool layer or other suitable layer ofmaterial ||4 which may if desired be cemented to the inside of theleather. The resistors |03, |04 and |05 are fastened between two layersof wool ||5, ||6 or other suitable material, shaped to conform to theinside of the layer ||4, and desirably so constructed and arranged thatthe resistors and the covering layers ||5, |6 constitute a unitaryheating means separable from the mitten proper, so that if a resistorshould fail, or the unit otherwise wear out, it is unnecessary to throwaway the mitten proper.

The snap fastener parts |08, |09 of each mitten are adapted to cooperatewith the complementary snap fastener parts 52 (Figure l).

Referring now to Figure 10, there is here shown an electrical diagram ofan embodiment suitable for use in case the garment comprises separatecoat and trousers, as distinguished from a coverall type of garment. Inthis instance the belt of the trousers may contain bus conductor means250 corresponding to the bus conductor means 25 of Figure 9. In thisinstance the bus conductor means has connected thereto a socket |40 intowhich may be inserted a plug carried by a cable (not shown) connected toor connectible to a source of electricity. In this respect the formshown in Figure l0 is the reverse of the form shown in Figure 9, and, ofcourse, if desired, the form shown in Figure 10 may embody a cable suchas the cable 2'1 of Figure 9, having a plug 28 connectible to a sourceof electricity.

The bus conductor means has connected thereto a socket 350,corresponding to the socket 35 of Figure 9 but having an additionalfunction as will appear. Auxiliary bus conductor means 250a is providedwhich is carried by the coat part of the garment. The auxiliary busconductor means 25001I has connected thereto a cable |50 of suitablelength so that a plug |5| carried at the end of the cable may be pluggedinto the socket 350 so that the bus conductor means 250ais fed inparallel with the bus conductor means 250 from the socket |40 through aswitch 340 corresponding to the switch 34. The auxiliary bus conductormeans 250s is adapted to feed all of the heating means associated withthe upper garment or coat, including the hands of the wearery whereasthe bus conductor means 250 is adapted to feed all of the heating meansassociated with the lower garment or trousers, including the feet of thewearer. The cables in Figure 10 corresponding to those in Figure 9 bearreference characters in which the numerals of the reference charactersof Figure 9 have been multiplied by ten, for example, cable 4901* ofFigure l0 corresponds to cable 49T of Figure 9, and so on. It will beunderstood that the respective cables in Figure 10 lead to heating meanscorresponding to the heating means to which corresponding cables lead inFigure 9.

Referring again to Figure 9, the socket 35 may be used to receive a plugconnected to conductor means leading to a heating pad, which may be aseparate heating pad, on which the wearer of the garment may sit, or thesocket may be used to make connection to an electric light, or to anyother desired electric translating device. The

7 socketllA of Figure'li) may be used for similar purposes, inwhich'case the plug I5! will of course have been rst removed. By makingthe heatingmeans for different parts of the body (which includes thelimbs and extremities thereof) separate and connectible in parallel tothe source of current (speciiically the bus Iconductor means) eachseparate heating meanshas the same voltage applied thereto andeach'is'designed to havea desired total heat dissipating capacity and adesired heat dissipating capacity per unit of area of the part of thebody"` to which I@the respective heating means is applied. Obviously,the total rated heat dissipating capacity of a given heating mean, orthe dissipating capacity per unit oi appliedareathereoi, orboth oi thesecharacteristics, may be made the same or different fromthesefcharacteristics of onezor more of the other heating means.Furthermore, greater flexibility of design is possible, particularlywhere, as is usually the casewith respect to garments for aviators andso forth, the available voltage is relatively low, as for example of theorder of l2 volts to 24 volts. Obviously, dierent sizes and/os; lengthsof resistor may be used, if desired or necn essary, in the separateheating means` Preferably the resistors of the heating means are made ofmaterial that has a high tempera ture coefficient of resistance, so asautomatically to limit the current iiow therethrough and hence theamount of heat generated, as the temperature of the heating means rises.While the insulation for the resistors of the heating means may be ofany suitable nature, such an insulated resistor as disclosed in thepatent to Van Daarn and Stranszky 2,251,697, August 5, 194.1 is verydesirably embodied in the various heating means hereinbefore describeddue to its moisture-resistant, heat-resistant and other mechanical andelectrical characteristics. From the foregoing it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that each of the illustrated em bodiments ofthe invention provides new and ime proved electrically heated wearingapparel and accordingly, each accomplishes the principal object of myinvention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilledin the art that the illustrated embodiments of my invention may bevariously changed and modiiied, or features thereof, singly orcollectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated,without de'- parting from the spirit of my invention, or sacu ricing allof the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure hereinis illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

l. In combination: a garment; a plurality of individual electric heatingmeans for heating different parts of the body o a wearer of saidgarment; individual conductor means for separately supplying each ofsaid electric heaters with electric current; belt means, permanentlyfastened to said garment about the waist portion thereof, so constructedand arranged as to4 provide conduit means between the inside surface ofsaid belt means and the outside surface of said waist portion; busconductor means disposed in said conduit means; electrical connectionmeans, electrically connected to said bus conductor means, constructedand arranged for connection to a source of electric current, to connectsaid source to said bus conductor means; said individual conductor meansbeing electrically xedly connected to said bus conductor meansyandswitch means 8 carried 'by said belt means and electrically intere posedin said bus conductor means for controlling the supply of current tosaid bus conductor means separately from said electrical connectionmeans. i

2. In combination: a garment; a plurality of individual electric heatingmeans for heatingdifferent parts of the body of a wearer of saidgarment; individual conductor means for separately supplying each ofsaid electric heating means with electric current; belt means,permanently fastened to said garment about the waist portion thereof, soconstructed and arranged as to provide conduit means between the insidesurface of said belt means and the outside surface of said waistportion; bus conductor means disposed in said conduit means; electricalconnection means, electrically connected to said bus conductor means,constructed and arranged for connection to a source of electric current,to connect said source to said bus conductor means; said individualconductor means being electrically xedly connected to said bus conductormeans; and electrical outlet means, carried by said belt means andelectrically connected to said bus conductor means, constructed andarranged for electrical connection thereto of selected auxiliaryelectrical translating devices external to and separate from saidgarment to supply said translating devices with current from said busconductor means.

3. In combination: a garment comprising a part constructed and arrangedto encircle a portion of the body of a wearer of said garment, said partbeing discontinuous at one place in the direction of encirclement, thefree ends at said place being provided with joining means for detachablyjoining said ends, the circumferential extent of said part being suchthat when said joining means joins said ends, said part looselyencircles said portion of the body of a wearer; electric heating meanscarried by and on the inside of said part of said garment, said heatingmeans being of less circumferential extent than said garment part andconstructed and arranged to engage said portion of the body of thewearer when said joining means joins said ends; and said heating meansand said part of said garment being relatively so constructed andarranged that said heating means is pressed into heat-conductingrelation to said portion of the body of the wearer by reason ofcircumferential tension on said heating means caused by joining of saidends by said joining means, while joining of said ends leaves saidgarment part free of circumferential tension and loosely encircling saidheating means.

4. In combination: a garment comprising a part constructed and arrangedto encircle a portion of the body of a wearer of said garment, said partbeing discontinuous at one place in the direction of encirclement, thefree ends at said place being provided with joining means for detachablyjoining said ends, the circumferential extent of said part being suchthat when said joining means joins said ends, said part looselyencircles said portion of the body of a wearer; electric heating meanscarried by and on the inside of said part of said garment, said heatingmeans being a belt-like unit of less circumferential extent than saidgarment part and constructed and arranged to engage said portion 0f thebody of the wearer when said joining means joins said ends; and saidheating means and said part of said garment being relatively soconstructed and arranged that said heating means isl pressed intoheat-conducting relation to said portion of the body of the wearer byreason of circumferential tension on said heating means caused byjoining of said ends by said joining means, while joining of said endsleaves said garment part free of circumferential tension and looselyencircling said belt-like heating means.

5. In combination: a garment comprising a part constructed and arrangedto encircle the torso of a wearer of said garment, said part beingdiscontinuous at one place in the direction of encirclement, the freeends at said place being provided with joining means f or detachablyjoining said ends, the circumferential extent of said part being suchthat when said joining means joins said ends, said part looselyencircles the torso of a wearer; electric heating means carried by andon the inside of said part of said garment, said heating means being abelt-like unit of less circumferential extent than said garment part andconstructed and arranged to engage the torso of the wearer when saidjoining means joins said ends; means for fastening the ends of saidbeltlike unit to the inside of said garment near the parts of saidjoining means respectively; and said heating means and said fasteningmeans of said garment being relatively so constructed and arranged thatsaid heating means is pressed into heat-conducting relation to the torsoof the wearer by reason of circumferential tension on 10 said heatingmeans caused by joining of said ends by said joining means, whilejoining of said ends leaves said garment part free of circumferentialtension and loosely encircling said belt-like heating means.

GERRIT VAN DAAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 718,896 Ames et al. Jan. 20, 1903721,270 Zeckendorf Feb. 24, 1903 1,284,378 Lemercier Nov. 12, 19181,358,509 Birkenfeld Nov. 9, 1920 1,510,125 Woodford Sept, 30, 19241,691,472 Graham et al. Nov. 13, 1938 2,227,781 Joy et al Jan. 7, 19412,277,772 Marick Mar. 31, 1942 2,287,915 Taylor June 30, 1942 2,298,298Joy et al Oct. 13, 1942 2,329,766 Jacobsen Sept. 21, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 258,384 Italy Apr. 23, 1928 556,594 GreatBritain Oct. 12, 1943

